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JAS. W: TURNER 



WONDERS 



OF THE 

GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 

OF KENTUCKY 

CONTAINING THOROUGH AND ACCURATE 

HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE SKETCHES 

OF THIS MARVELOUS UNDERGROUND 

WORLD, WITH A CHAPTER ON THE 

GEOLOGY OF CAVE FORMATION. 



BY 

Jas. W. Turner 

SUPERINTENDENT OF CITY SCHOOLS. 

Carrier Mills, Illinois. 



WITH ILLUSTRATIONS 



1912 

TURNER PUBLISHINQ COMPANY 

CARRfER Mills. III. 



■mtrq 



COPYRIGHT, 1912, 

BY 

JAS. >V. TURNER 



CI.A328:127 



TO 
THE MEMORY OF 
A DEPARTED FATHER AND MOTHER, BOTH NATIVES OF 
KENTUCKY, THE STATE IN WHICH IS LOCATED THE 
GREAT SUBTERRANEAN WONDER HEREIN DESCRIBED, 
THIS LITTLE VOLUME IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED 

BY THE AUTHOR. 



PREFATORY 

This book has been written principally be- 
cause of the high appreciation the author 
entertains for the beauties and sublimities of 
nature, and for his love for historical writing-. 
Another object has been to give useful and 
entertaining literature to the youth of our coun- 
try, especially to the hosts of young men and 
young ladies who have been his pupils within 
the past half century. 

The historical sketches contained in the 
book have been gathered with great care from 
the most reliable sources, and can be relied upon 
as being practically correct. The marvelous 
scenes within the cave have been described ex- 
actly as they appealed to the writer while tour- 
ing its avenues and channels, and none of these 
pictures have been in the least overdrawn. 



Chapter I. is principally historical, and con- 
tains sketches of the discovery of the cave, the 
manufacture of saltpeter within its avenues, 
animal and vegetable life within the cave, the 
hotel, ownership, life-tenants and heirs of the 
Mammoth Cave estate. 

Chapter II. is descriptive, and contains 
sketches of the scenes in routes one and two 
combined. One of the most sublime of these 
scenes is the famous Star Chamber. 

Chapter III. is also descriptive, and contains 
descriptions of the scenes in routes three and 
four combined. In this chapter is included the 
description of the boat ride on Echo River, and 
the sublime effect of its wonderful and marvel- 
ous echoes. 

Chapter IV. is geological, containing brief 
accounts of the processes by which the earth's 
crust has been formed, and the chemical proc- 
esses of cave-making in limestone regions. 

Acknowledgments are due to the Mammoth 



Cave management tor favors and courtesies ex- 
tended to the author, and especially to Albert 
Covington Janin, of Washington, D. C, trustee 
of the Mammoth Cave estate, for permission to 
use some historical matter from advertising 
circulars, and for his kindness in furnishing 
names relative to the ownership, life-tenants, 
and heirs of the Mammoth Cave estate. Ac- 
knowledgments are also due to the guides, 
Edward Biship, Joshua Wilson, Robert Lively, 
and William Bransford, for special favors and 
valuable information. 

Carrier Mills, 111., Dec, 1912. J. W. T. 



WONDERS OF THE QREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 



CHAPTER I. 

HISTORICAL. 



AWAY down in "Old Kentucky" are the pos- 
sibilities of a delightful and profitable out- 
ing, as new and refreshing as fancy could 
conceive or heart could wish — a place where tra- 
dition holds sway; where extortion and gouging 
and graft and bluff and exploitation are un- 
known; where there is an endless variety of 
"types;" where expense bills are less than ex- 
pected, and where a dollar goes as far as two in 
other places; where the gong of the electric car 
and the honk-honk of the automobile are sounds 
unheard; where glaring signboards, electric dis- 
plays, amusement parks and their kind are want- 
ing — a place where one can get "back to Na- 
ture's heart." 



TVONDERS OF THE 



DISCOVERY 

This wonderful place, this modern Eden, 
is the famous Mammoth Cave of Kentucky, the 
greatest known cavern in the world. This mar- 
velous underground world was discovered by 
John Hutchins in 1809. Hutchins, who was a 
famous hunter, of the Daniel Boone kind, had 
wounded an enormous bear, and while pursuing 
his wounded game was led to the mouth of the 
cave, which the bear entered, and which Hutch- 
ins explored for only a short distance, but far 
enough to realize something of its immense size. 

At this time the entrance was obstructed by 
the fallen trunks of trees and loose rocks, over 
and through which Hutchins and his wounded 
bear climbed until bruin was safely within his 
lair. Hutchins reported his discovery of the 
cave, but no definite explorations were made for 
two or three years, and then only for a distance 
of a few miles from the entrance. 

SALTPETER WORKS 

The first explorations revealed the fact that 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 5 

great quantities of nitrous earth, from which 
saltpeter is made, covered the floor of the cave. 
This discovery led to the purchase of the cave 
by parties who, in a short time, began the erec- 
tion of saltpeter works within, at places not far 
distant from the mouth of the great cavern. 
These crude works were completed, and the 
manufacture of saltpeter was begun just before 
the beginning of our second war with Great 
Britain in 1812. 

GUNPOWDER 

During this war the Americans were sorely 
in need of gunpowder, and as saltpeter is one of 
its principal ingredients, there was a great de- 
mand by the government for all the saltpeter 
that these works could possibly produce; and it 
is said that the promoters of the enterprise reaped 
an immense fortune from its sale during the war. 
It is also claimed that the cause of the Ameri- 
cans would have failed in the conflict had it not 
been for the home manufacture of saltpeter in 
the Mammoth Cave during the war, as all for- 



WONDERS OF THE 



eign supplies had been shut out by the strict and 
general embargo. 

Powder made from the material taken from 
the Mammoth Cave had just been furnished to 
Capt. Bainbridge, of the "Old Ironsides," when 

"Her thunders shook the mighty deep" 

in that brilliant victory over the British fleet off 
the coast of Brazil, Commodore Perry's fleet of 
nine vessels had been supplied with powder from 
the same source just before he met the hostile fleet 
near the west end of Lake Erie in September, 
1813. The world knows the result of that des- 
perate encounter. Perry was enabled to send 
his famous dispatch, "We have met the enemy 
and they are ours." The same powder was used 
by General Jackson's famous Kentucky and 
Tennessee riflemen when they won undying 
fame for their marksmanship in the memorable 
victory at New Orleans. 

The fires of patriotism were kindled anew 
in our bosom when, in July, 1908, we first visit- 
ed the cave and looked upon these old works, 



aREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 7 

and reflected that here was made the material 
that enabled the Americans to drive British op- 
pression from the seas and gain the commercial 
privileges and freedom that we so highly cherish 
today. 

At the close of the war the embargo was 
raised, and as saltpeter could then be im- 
ported from other countries and sold at a much 
lower rate than it could be produced here, the 
works were abandoned, and have never been 
used since. Owing to the dryness and purity of 
the atmosphere in the cave the remains of these 
old works are still in a good state of preserva- 
tion, and the tourist sees them today practically 
as they were left by the saltpeter miners almost 
a century ago. 

LEACHING VATS 

These primitive works consisted principally 
of wooden hoppers, or vats, each about eight 
feet wide, twelve feet long, and four or five feet 
deep. Into these leaching vats was poured the 
nitrous earth obtained from the various avenues, 



8 TTONDERS OF THE 

rooms and channels in this part of the cave, un- 
til the vats were well filled. Two wooden pipes, 
made from the slender trunks of trees, about the 
size of telegraph poles, extended from the mouth 
of the cave to these vats. Through one of these 
pipes the water was conveyed from the entrance 
of the cavern into the leaching vats. 

In filtering through the nitrous earth in the 
vats the water became laden with saltpeter in 
solution. This was collected and conveyed back 
to the mouth of the cave through the other 
wooden pipe, where it underwent a crude proc- 
ess of distillation and refining, whereby the 
saltpeter crystals were obtained. So rich was 
the earth in niter that one full vat would pro- 
duce more than a thousand pounds of saltpeter. 
When the earth had been leached it was taken 
from the vats and thrown in great hills and 
heaps throughout this region of the cavern. In 
passing through this part of the cave the tourist 
is compelled to wind among these mounds and 
hillocks of leached earth, frequently climbing 



GREAT MA^IMOTH C A V B 9 

over them. Their great number, size and ex- 
tent testify to the enormous amount of saltpeter 
produced here while the works were in opera- 
tion. 

TEMPERATURE 

The natural temperature of the cave, as as- 
certained by numerous and careful observa- 
tions and tests, is fifty-four degrees Fahrenheit. 
This temperature is not effected by extremes of 
external heat or cold, but is maintained through- 
out the year. This indicates that the earth's 
crust has a temperature of fifty-four degrees at 
this latitude. 

Theie is always a strong outward current 
of air at the mouth of the cave during the sum- 
mer months, and a corresponding inward current 
during the winter months. These currents are 
caused by the unequal temperature of air in the 
cave and the external air, the current always 
going from the colder to the warmer region. It 
is the same cause that gives us the sea breeze 
and land breeze on the sea-coast, and the equa- 



lO TVONDERS OF THE 

torial winds of the torrid zone. In this way the 
cave breathes, taking a long inspiration during 
the winter months, and a long expiration during 
the summer months. 

PITS AND DOMES 

The cave has five levels or tiers, that have 
been formed in past geologic ages, and in trav- 
ersing its avenues the tourist passes through and 
along portions of each of these stories or tiers. 
It frequently occurs that the floor of one avenue 
is the ceiling of another directly under it. In 
many places the rock substance between the dif- 
ferent tiers has fallen through, and thus the av- 
enues of different levels have been connected by 
immense openings. These openings sometimes 
extend through two or three tiers of the cave, 
and have an immense height and depth. At 
Gorin's Dome and the Bottomless Pit the verti- 
cal walls of these openings extend from the 
highest to the lowest levels of the cave, and 
give a complete vertical view of this mighty 
underground world. Such openings are called 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 11 

pits when viewed from above, and domes when 
viewed from below. 

LOOPS 

At many places in the cave the passage will 
lead down a hill or incline and , making a bold 
curve, pass directly under the avenue that has 
just been explored. This feature exists at the 
Corkscrew, Dante's Gateway and Napoleon's 
Dome. In passing the avenue that leads directly 
over Napoleon 'h Dome the peculiar sound of our 
falling footsteps reveals the fact that only a very 
thin shell of rock separates us from the great 
cavity below, and we feel somewhat inclined to 
tread lightly while passing over the place. 

ENTRANCE 

The Mammoth Cave has but one entrance, 
or if there is any other the fact has never been 
known; and the visitor today passes in at the 
same opening through which Hutchins and his 
famous bear crawled a century ago. At a dis- 
tance of about fifty yards within the cave the 
walls converge and the ceiling descends until the 



12 WONDERS OF T H EJ 

passage is rather small. At this place is swung- 
a massive iron gate, always secured by lock and 
key, to protect the beauties and wonders of the 
interior from the depredations of vandals. 

Inwaid to this gate anyone may go at any 
time without paying a fee, but beyond this no 
one is allowed to pass except those who have 
purchased cave tickets and are accompanied by 
a guide. 

ANIMAL LIFE 

Animal life is not very abundant in the 
great cavern, and vegetable life is almost entire- 
ly wanting. Near the entrance to the cave, and 
among the remains of the old saltpeter works, 
are a few cave rats, which were well known by 
the early miners. During the winter m3Tiads 
of bats may be found clinging to the ceiling and 
walls of some of the chambers and avenues not 
far from the mouth of the cave, but these "cave 
bats" are only the ordinary little brown bats of 
this latitude, and other kindred varieties, which 
enter the cavern merely to pass the long, cold 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 13 

months of winter. At a few places along the 
"River Route" are found specimens of a small, 
light-brown beetle; and in other places along the 
same route, where old timbers from bridges have 
been thrown, are seen a few white myriapods. 
In some of the chambers of the cave are innu- 
merable "cave crickets." These bear but little 
resemblance to the ordinary cricket, being almost 
perfectly white, and having very long, slender 
legs and small bodies. 

BLIND FISH 

By far the most interesting animal of the 
vast cavern is the wonderful blind fish — Ambly- 
opsis spelaeus — of Echo river and adjoining 
waters. This little fish, only three or four inches 
in length at maturity, is almost perfectly white, 
has not the least vestige of eyes, and is without 
scales. It has dorsal, ventral and pectoral fins 
well developed, and the tail is a single lobe. 
The head and mouth are rather wide, and its 
form is very similar to that of the cat-fish. In 
the same waters with the blind fish are found 



14 TVONDERS OF THE 

the white cray-fish, two or three inches long, 
also blind, as eyes would be useless organs in 
such dense blackness as reigns in the great 
depths of these subterranean channels. 

VEGETABLE LIFE 

The conditions within the cave are less fa- 
vorable for vegetable growth than for animal 
growth. In none of the drier avenues is there 
sufficient moisture to sustain extensive plant 
growth; besides, the temperature is too low for 
most vegetation. In some of the lower levels of 
the cave may be found small quantities of vege- 
table matter, all of a fungus nature. Near the 
landings along Echo River are a few small toad- 
stools, all of them perfectly white. Along Aud- 
ubon Avenue are numbers of small mushrooms, 
growing in clusters. This fact led to the erec- 
tion of extensive and costly mushroom beds at 
this place with the hope of producing large 
quantities for market, but as conditions for veg- 
etable growth are unfavorable in the cave, the 
enterprise proved a failure. 



GREAT ]VIAMMOTH CAVE 15 

OWNERSHIP 

The ownership of the cave since its discov- 
ery in 1809 has been as follows: McLean bought 
it in 1811, Gatewood in 1812, Moore in 1816, 
Gatewood ag^ain soon after, Gorin in 1837, John 
Croghan, a physician of Louisville, in 1839. 
Dr. Croghan died ten years later, and by a will, 
which is now on record in Louisville, he left the 
estate, consisting of the cave and some two 
thousand acres of land about its mouth, to his 
nine nephews and nieces. Those heirs were the 
children of Maj. Gen. Thomas S. Jessup, who 
was for forty- two years quartermaster general of 
the U. S. Army, and of Col. George Croghan, 
known as the "Hero of Sundusky." 

Of the original life-tenants, five are now 
(1909) living, four of them the daughters of 
Gen. Jessup, and one daughter of Col. Croghan. 
The daughters of Gen. Jessup are: Mrs. Sit- 
greaves, living near Boston; Mrs. Blair and Mrs. 
Niderlson, living in Washington, D. C, and 
Miss Jessup, living in Europe. The living 



16 AVONDERS OF THE 



daughter of Col. Croghan is Mrs. Rogers, living 
in California. The will provides that these life- 
tenants are to share the income equally until the 
death of the last of them, when the estate is to 
be sold at public auction and the proceeds divid- 
ed equally among their heirs. 

MANAGEMENT 

The management of the cave is now in the 
hands of Albert C. Janin, of Washington, D. C, 
who is trustee of the Mammoth Cave estate, and 
who has had charge of it for a number of years. 
The estate consists of all the appliances and 
privileges within the cavern, about two thousand 
acres of land under which the principal avenues 
of the cave pass, and the large hotel near the 
entrance. When asked if there was a probabil- 
ity that the estate of the Mammoth Cave would 
some day become the property of the state of 
Kentucky, Mr. Janin replied, "No; we consider 
it a nice thing to have in the family." 

THE HOTEL 

The first room of the hotel was only an oi- 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 17 

dinary log cabin, and was erected a century ago 
and used by the early miners and proprietors of 
the saltpeter works. This room is still standing 
and is in constant use, but the walls have been 
covered on the outside with siding and on the 
inside with ceiling, and as it is kept well paint- 
ed, the building today has but little of its former 
appearance. 

Back from this original room, toward the 
south, for a distance of five or six hundred feet, 
are other rooms, erected at later dates as they 
were needed, all of them one story in height. 
These rooms are all connected, and along the 
entire distance extends a very wide porch or 
portico, fronting to the east. Although not very 
inviting in their outward appearance, these 
rooms are well furnished within and afford pleas- 
ant accommodations. 

In front of the original room has been 
erected a very large frame building with an im- 
mense two-story porch or portico in front. This 
porch is about twenty feet wide and sixty or 



18 TV^ONDEJRS OF THE 

more feet long, and from its upper floor we get 
a most delightful and picturesque view of the 
beautiful hotel lawn and other rustic scenes. 

DINING ROOM 

The dining room of the hotel is especially 
striking in its appearance. It contains two rows 
of long dining tables, and will seat about two 
hundred guests. The ceiling is rather low for 
so large a room, and passing through the entire 
length of the ceiling overhead is an immense 
cross-beam, supported by massive columns. 
The windows are extremely old style, the sash 
being very large and filled with panes of glass 
not more than twelve by fourteen inches in size. 
The sashes are not swung by weights, and when 
raised are held up by wooden latches or supports 
at the side. This old colonial style of architec- 
ture gives the room a very primitive appearance, 
and is especially enjoj^ed by visitors who seek a 
short relief from the environments of city life. 

Directly over the dining room is a large as- 
sembly hall for the accommodation of guests. 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 19 

The rooms are rather large and are furnished 
with from two to four beds each. As the hotel 
stands today it will accommodate three hundred 
and fifty guests, and the rates are two dollars 
per day. Dr. W. W. Ranshaw, of Covington, 
Ky., is the present proprietor. 

CAVE ROUTES 

In order to give tourists the opportunity of 
viewing as great a variety of scenery as possible 
the proprietors first established two principal 
routes, known as the "Long Route" and the 
"Short Route." The ' Xong Route" included 
the Crossing of the River Styx on the Natural 
Bridge and the boat ride on the famous Echo 
River, and was therefore frequently called the 
"River Route." The "Short Route" included 
the passing of many deep pits, gorges and domes, 
and on that account was sometimes called the 
"Pits and Domes Route." 

Owing partly to important discoveries re- 
cently made, and partly to the great extent of 
the Mammoth Cave, the designations of "Long 



aO TV^ONDERS OF THE 

Route" and "Short Route" have been abolished, 
and trips in the cave at present are subdivided 
into four different routes, as follows: 

1. Kcho River, Pits and Domes Route. 

2. Star Chamber, Gothic Avenue Route. 

3. Main Cave and New Discovery Route. 

4. Echo River, Cleveland Cabinet, Cathe- 
dral Domes Route. 

The time required for making the different 
trips is about as follows: 

Route No. 1, six hours. 

Route No. 2, five hours. 

Route No. 3, six hours. 

Route No. 4, ten hours. 

The cave rates are two dollars for any single 
route, and one dollar for each additional route. 

EXTENT 

The Mammoth Cave is so vast — all other 
known caves being mere cavelets in comparison 
— that even with this subdivision of the cave into 
four routes, only its most important features can 
be seen by the tourist. It is a great under- 



GREAT MAMIMOTH CAVE 21 

ground world, full of interesting and awe-inspir- 
ing features. The scenery along the four prin- 
cipal routes is a constantly changing panorama, 
and is the most beautiful and sensational in the 
entire cavern. It is wonderful, marvelous! Even 
the use of superlatives gives only a faint idea of 
its grandeur and its beauty. 

FORMATIONS 

Stalactites and stalagmites— words so mean- 
ingless and hard to remember when first learned 
in geography and geology— here take on the 
forms of fluted columns, pendant cones, festoons 
and draperies, and other wall and ceiling deco- 
rations that would be the envy of the most skill- 
ful stucco worker. Within the avenues of the 
cave are great auditoriums with lofty ceilings; 
domes hundreds of feet high, the sides formed of 
tier upon tier of ornamented columns, balanced 
rocks and hanging rocks; huge piles of loose 
rocks that seemingly have been swirled round 
and round by surging underground waters until 
they have worn great caverns; mighty clefts and 



22 WONDERS OF THE 

crevices as if made by violent earthquakes. 

RECREATION 

To the observant visitor a stay at the Mam- 
moth Cave is rich in pleasure, relaxation, new 
experience and lasting impressions. True, there 
are many people who visit the great cavern and 
never realize its grandeur or beauty. They go 
through the cave much as they would through 
the Coney Island attractions. They would mod- 
ernize every thing in the region, put elevators in 
the cave, install electric cars, electric lights, lunch 
stands and moving picture shows. They are the 
visitors who go a-touring to seek something new 
and different from the ordinary, and then com- 
plain because they find it. A stay at the cave 
also means improved health. The primeval for- 
ests, the altitude, the pure, bracing air, and the 
exercise in the open all tend to tone up one's 
system almost immediately. All the glowing 
terms that are used to describe and exploit health 
resorts in other places may be used truthfully of 
the Mammoth Cave. 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 23 

PRESERVATION 

It has been the aim of the proprietors to pre- 
serve the cave in all its beauties and wonders as 
an original work of nature. In this they have 
succeeded so well that many of the older inhabi- 
tants claim that the impressions left by a visit 
to the cave today are paralleled by those left 
when they visited the cave three-fourths of a 
century ago. Only that change has occurred 
which would naturally result from a more thor- 
ough acquaintance with the wonders within. 
The remains of the old saltpeter works, the 
bridges over the gorges and pits, the stair- 
ways leading up impassable cliffs, the iron guard- 
rails along places of danger, and the state tem- 
ples and monuments are the only evidences of 
the work of man. All else is as it came from 
the hands of nature. 

VISITORS 

The average number of annual visitors to the 
cave, as shown by the registers, is about four- 
teen thousand. As most visitors buy at least 



24 TVONDBRS OF THE 



two tickets, and many of them four, the income 
from the sale of tickets alone is approximately 
fifty thousand dollars. Besides the income from 
the sale of tickets, is that from the hotel itself, 
and from cave specimens and souvenirs which 
are kept on sale in the offices of the hotel at all 
times. The total annual income from all sourc- 
es is perhaps not less than one hundred thousand 
dollars. 

SAFETY 

The journeys through the various routes 
and avenues of the cave are all perfectly safe. 
The boats on Echo River are well built, the 
guides are all expert oarsmen, are thoroughly 
competent and reliable in every way, and know 
every nook and corner of the cave perfectly. 
Each tourist carries a small cave lantern, and 
the dangerous pits, gorges and chasms are well 
guarded with heavy gas-pipe railing. So far as 
is known, no life has ever been lost within the 
cave, although a few accidents have occurred. 
The regular guides in attendance at the cave at 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 25 

present are: Edward Bishop, whose grandfather 
first crossed the Bottomless Pit in 1840 and ex- 
plored the cave beyond the pit; William Brans- 
ford, Joshua Wilson, Robert lyively and Matt 
Bransford. Besides the regular guides, there 
are several extra guides always present to assist 
in cases of emergency. Some of the regular 
guides have been in constant attendance for 
more than twenty years. 



CHAPTER II. 

DESCRIPTIVE 
ROUTES ONE AND TWO COMBINED 

ON Monday morning, July 6, 1908, the writ- 
er left Johnston City, 111., for a visit to 
the famous Mammoth Cave of Kentucky. 
After a delightful ride of some three hundred 
miles over the L. & N. from Mt. Vernon, 111., 
we reached our destination early Tuesday morn- 
ing. As soon as we had taken breakfast we 
purchased a cave ticket, donned a cave suit and 
were soon off for the entrance to the cave. Our 
party consisted of Robert McDale of New York 
City; Frank H. Feldkamp of Cincinnati; Edward 
K. Byland of Paris; William R. Webb of Bowl- 
ing Green, Ky.; Florence Edwards of San Fran- 
cisco; Ellen Raymond of Topeka, Kan.; Myrtie 
Luther of New Orleans; Ethel Ruby of Nash- 
ville, Tenn.; Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Ramsey of 




OPENING TO ( AVE-LOOKING OUT. 



OREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 27 

Bowling Green, Ky.; Henry Chandler, of Bos- 
ton, Mass., and the writer. 

NATURAL BEAUTY 

The natural scenery from the hotel to the 
mouth of the cave is very beautiful and cannot 
fail to awaken interest to those who love the sub- 
lime in nature. The pathway that leads down 
the hill- side from the hotel to the mouth of the 
great cavern is clustered with tulip trees clothed 
in the richest of foliage; with immense oaks 
from whose lofty boughs hang beautiful festoons 
of vines; with giant poplars, chestnuts, syca- 
mores, spice-wood, and a beautiful undergrowth 
of bushes, shrubs, ferns and mosses. 

THE OPENING 

The opening to the cave is an immense fun- 
nel-shaped vestibule of limestone ledges, and 
from the mid-arch of the entrance, fifty feet 
above, leaps a beautiful little waterfall. This 
miniature cascade gleams and sparkles in the 
sunlight in its descent to the rocky floor beneath, 
and after flowing only a few feet it suddenly 



28 WONDERS OF THE 

sinks and is again in absolute darkness. Through 
some unknown subterranean channel these waters 
emerge again and join with the waters of Green 
River beyond. 

What a striking emblem of human life is 
this glittering little stream! L,ike our bodies it 
emerges from the darkness of earth, passes a 
brief life in the light, and returns again to earth. 
As its waters, after sinking, come again to light 
and exist beyond, so will our lives find a way 
to the realm of eternity beyond, and live again. 

SUBTERRANEAN SYMPHONY 

As we pass this little cataract at the foot of 
a stone stairway we hear its echoes reflected over 
and over again from the walls, roof and crevices 
of the mighty limestone entrance, and this gives 
us the first realization of subterranean sym- 
phony. This symphony is unlike any of the 
sounds heard in the outside world. It is pecu- 
liar to subterranean channels and galleries, and 
is heard at many falling brooks, springs and 
cascades within the cave. 



OREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 39 

A LOOK BACKWARD 

After passing" a short distance into the 
mouth of the cave we cast a look backward to 
get another glimpse of the beautiful blue sky 
and sunlight before plunging into absolute black- 
ness. As we were taking this last look backward 
the current of air, which is always present at 
this place, wafted to and fro the beautiful fes- 
toons of mosses and maiden-hair ferns which 
fringe the opening, and these, with the gently 
moving forest foliage, seemed to be wafting and 
nodding us a last farewell. One of our party on 
seeing this, waved her hand in response, and 
with some emotion exclaimed, "Good-bye, sweet 
sunshine, green leaves, and blue sky! I may 
never return to you alive!" 

GREAT IRON GATE 

We have now reached the great Iron Gate, 
and when the guide unlocks it we are soon on 
the inside of the real cave. When the gate is 
again locked we realize that we are shut off 
from the world of light above. The guide in- 



30 TV^ONDBRS OF THE 

formed us that an occasional timid person has 
here turned back, but none of our party had this 
timidity, and we obeyed the orders of our ^uide 
and entered darkness to seek the mysteries and 
wonders beyond. 

HUTCHINS' NARROWS 

Immediately after passing the gate we found 
the roof very low for a short distance, but we 
soon emerged into Hutchins' Narrows. Nearly 
a century ago the miners piled the loose rocks 
on either side to give a better path through 
which to carry their burdens, and this left a nar- 
row passage only a few feet wide, called Hutch- 
ins' Narrows. The wooden pipes, which they 
used for carrying the water from the little cata- 
ract at the entrance of the cave to the leaching 
vats, are still in their places and in a good state 
of preservation. About midway of the Narrows, 
on the left, our guide pointed out the graves of 
two Indians whose bodies were found by the 
first miners and buried at this place. 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 31 

THE GREAT ROTUNDA 

Just beyond the Narrows we descended a 
small hill and suddenly emerged into an immense 
hall formed by the junction of two large avenues. 
The grand arch which forms the roof of this 
great chamber is more than sixty feet high, and 
is composed of a whitish limestone, unsupported 
by pillars or columns, and is folded into fantastic 
figures and forms of great beauty. This immense 
hall is very appropriately called the Rotunda, 
and the guide informed us that we were directly 
under the dining room of the hotel at which we 
had taken our meals a half hour before. Here 
are to be seen the first leaching vats used by the 
early miners in making saltpeter in 1812-1814. 
L,ate in the fall millions of bats enter this room 
to take the long sleep of winter, and remain sus- 
pended in great clumps and clusters from the 
walls and angles for five months. 

RAFINESQUE HALL 

Leading from the Rotunda are two avenues, 
one of them the main cave and the other one 



32 TVONDBRS OF THE 

Audubon Avenue. The first chamber of special 
interest along Audubon Avenue is Rafinesque 
Hall. This hall was formed by the falling of 
an immense mass of stone from the roof, and 
this heap of stone is pointed out by the guide as 
lyookout Mountain. While our party rested for 
awhile at the foot of this mountain, the writer, 
accompanied by another of our party, climbed to 
its summit, and from the roof above saw the 
falling w^aters of a beautiful little spring. Around 
the waters of this we found a few blind beetles 
of rather small size and almost perfectly white. 

VESPERTILLIO HALL 

We next entered a beautiful hall in the roof 
of which nature has sculptured a large inverted 
kettle. This hall is the winter home of myriads 
of little brown bats, and is on that account called 
Vespertillio Hall. From this hall we pass through 
avenues studded above with countless stalactites 
usually of small size, mimicing the form of al- 
most every familiar object. So perfect are many 
of these formations that they appear to have 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 33 

come from the hand of a skilled artist. And so 
they have, from nature, the most skilled of all 
artists. 

THE LONE SENTINEL 

We then ascended a small hill, and after 
passing between walls whose rocks seemed to be 
cemented together with calcium, we approached 
one of the most beautiful and extensive stalac- 
tites in the cave. This immense formation has 
joined the stalagmite below, and the column 
thus formed appears to serve as a support for the 
great stone roof above. This lone stalactite is 
fluted, folded, corrugated and carved into myri- 
ads of beautiful forms. Our guide called it the 
Lone Sentinel, and told us that it was a standing 
guard at the entrance to Olive's Bower. 

OLIVE'S BOWER 

Beyond the Lone Sentinel, hanging from 
the center of the roof, is a beautiful, perfectly 
formed, cone-like stalactite of immense size. 
This formation is of a whitish color, and is sur- 
rounded by numberless others of the same form, 



34= WONDERS OF THE 

but smaller in size. Down the sides of these 
pendant, alabaster cones, unceasingly trickle 
little drops of water, laden with building mate- 
rial taken from the limestone above. Each drop 
adds its mite of mineral deposit to the lower ex- 
tremity before falling to the floor beneath, and 
in this way the stalactites slowly grow down- 
ward. 

As we stood around this majestic canopy we 
could see the tiny drops of water glisten for a 
moment as they clung to the lower tips before 
falling. These reflected the light from our lan- 
terns and gave back brilliant hues like sparkling 
gems of rubies and diamonds. On the floor be- 
neath are large masses of the same substance, 
formed by the falling drops of water, and these 
are rising slowly through the ages to meet those 
above. This immense cluster of stalactites and 
stalagmites, known as Olive's Bower, is one of 
the most beautiful scenes in the cave, and it 
terminates the subterranean journey in this di- 
rection, as the avenue closes just beyond. 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE3 35 

PIGEON BOXES 

Returning again to the Rotunda we are 
guided along the main avenue of the cave for a 
short distance to formations in the wall at our 
left closely resembling openings in a dove cot, 
and for this reason they have been named the 
Pigeon Boxes. This peculiar formation was un- 
doubtedly made by the unequal solution of rock 
substance in the walls. Other formations of a 
similar character are found at various places in 
the cave. 

METHODIST CHURCH 

The next point of special interest beyond 
the Pigeon Boxes is the Methodist Church. This 
beautiful and spacious hall is formed by the 
junction of Archibald Avenue with the main 
cave. It was so named because in the days of 
the early miners it was frequently used for the 
purpose of holding religious services. Occasion- 
ally when the party includes a clergyman, reli- 
gious services are still held. On a recent occa- 
sion when religious services were being held one 



36 WONDERS OF THE 

of the party was called on to lead in prayer. 
This he eagerly did, and the guide informed us 
that most of the prayer was devoted to asking the 
Lord to forgive them for their folly in entering 
such a dangerous and gloomy dungeon, and im- 
ploring Him to deliver the entire party, guide 
and all, from the cave unharmed. 

BOOTH'S AMPHITHEATER 

At a point a little farther on we entered a 
magnificent chamber which is formed by a junc- 
tion of Gothic Avenue with the main cave. Here 
we climbed a broad flight of stairs and entered 
an apartment somewhat in the form of an am- 
phitheater. At this place, in 1876, the cele- 
brated actor, Edwin Booth, rendered Shake- 
speare's "Hamlet" to a large audience, and 
found the acoustic properties of the chamber to 
be almost perfect. Since that time this imposing 
chamber has been called Booth's Amphitheater. 
We could not help longing to hold a high school 
commencement in this beautiful amphitheater, 
and reflected that such subjects as "There is a 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 37 

God," ''Wonders of Nature," "Creative Power 
and Wisdom," "Subterranean Explorations," 
"Cave Dwellers" would be very appropriate 
themes for orations. 

MONUMENTS AND TEMPLES 

The main features of interest in Gothic Av- 
enue besides the numerous stalactites, are the 
state monuments and temples. These structures 
are erected from the loose stones so abundant in 
this part of the cave, each visitor being allowed 
to select a stone and place it on the temple of 
the order to which he belongs, and one on the 
monument of his native or adopted state. The 
writer took much pleasure in selecting four of 
the most beautiful stones and placing one on the 
Masonic Temple, one on the Odd Fellows Tem- 
ple, and one each on the Tennessee and Illinois 
Monuments. 

REGISTER HALL 

On the ceiling and walls throughout this 
section of Gothic Avenue, among the Temples 
and State Monuments, are to be seen the names 



38 TVONDERS OF THE 

of thousands of tourists. These names and dates 
have usually been recorded by smoking them on 
the walls and ceiling with burning candles or 
torches, but in many cases they have been carved 
into the flinty limestone walls with jack-knives. 
Doubtless the tourists who thus record their 
names are moved by the same impulse that causes 
the school boy to carve his name in bold letters 
on the top of his desk. 

NAME CARVING 

While one of our party was thus engaged in 
recording her name on the limestone wall, our 
guide harangued her about as follows: "The 
names on these walls have been recorded by only 
two classes of persons. One class is composed 
of persons whose chief desire is to assume a new 
name, and they think that by leaving their orig- 
inal name in the cave they may have a better op- 
portunity of finding some one who will give them 
a new name. The other class is composed of 
persons whose deeds through life have been so 
insignificant that they will soon be forgotten, 



OREA.T MAMMOTH CAVE 30 

and they resort to this act of vandalism as the 
only means of transmitting their names to future 
generations." Our friend stopped her name 
carving immediately, but did not tell us to v^hich 
class she belonged. 

POST OAK PILLAR 

The first great stalactitic column beyond the 
temples and monuments is the Post Oak Pillar. 
This immense formation closely resembles the 
trunk of an old oak whose bark has fallen off, 
hence its name. Suspended from the roof around 
this imposing pillar hang numerous other forma- 
tions of small size, resembling such objects as 
birds' nests, icicles and clusters of grapes. In 
close proximity are numerous other great stalac- 
tites and columns of exquisite beauty and form. 
Among these are Gothic Chapel, Pillared Castle, 
Pillar of Hercules, Hornets' Nests, Elephants* 
Heads, Pompey and Caesar, and the beautiful 
Jenny Lind Armchair. The material of which 
these formations are composed is much like onyx 
stone, and is sufficiently transparent to admit 



40 WONDERS OF THE 

the rays of light from the lanterns carried by the 
tourists. 

PILLAR OF HERCULES 

The Pillar of Hercules is remarkable for its 
peculiar formation and immense size, being one 
of the most extensive formations of the kind 
within the cave. It is not a solid column like 
the Lone Sentinel or Post Oak Pillar, but is com- 
posed of a clustered group of stalactites and stal- 
agmites which have united together in such a 
way as to resemble immense frozen cascades 
sometimes seen about waterfalls during the win- 
ter months. The great size of this matted clus- 
ter of pillars is suggestive of the name. 

JENNY LIND ARMCHAIR 

The beautiful Jenny lyind Armchair was 
formed by the union of an irregular stalactitic 
mass above with a similar stalagmitic mass be- 
low, making a solid column from floor to ceiling, 
and in form somewhat resembling a massive 
armchair. This was originally called Wilkins' 
Armchair, but when Jenny Lind was touring the 



GREAT MAMM:0TH CAVE 41 

United States under the management of P. T. 
Barnum in the 50s, she visited the Mammoth 
Cave and rested for awhile in this chair, and 
since that time it has been called Jenny I,ind's 
Armchair. Each of our party rested for a mo- 
ment in this chair, not so much because we were 
tired, but because it had been occupied by the 
sweet Swedish singer more than half a century 
before. 

THE BRIDAL ALTAR 

The last object of special interest in Gothic 
Avenue is the Bridal Altar. Hanging from the 
middle of the roof above is an immense mass of 
stalactitic formations, whitish in color, and pro- 
jecting downward from this cluster are three 
columns of the same material, very large above 
but decreasing in size to the floor beneath. 
These pillars are arranged in triangular form and 
enclose a small chamber between them. Under 
the bower of this wonderfully formed canopy 
have occurred fifteen weddings. The guide ex- 
plained to us that the pillar standing somewhat 



42 TVONDERS OF THE 

apart from the other two represents the clergy- 
man who officiates at the weddings, while the 
other two standing closer together represent the 
bride and bride-groom. Beyond the Bridal Altar 
we approached a hill that has been formed by 
the falling of an immense mass of stone from the 
roof above, and as this hill closes the avenue in 
this direction it has been named Limitation Hill. 

LOVERS LEAP 

By a narrow, crooked pathway we next de- 
scended a steep, rugged hill, called the Hill of 
Difficulty, to the face of a cliff fifty feet below. 
Looking backward and upward we saw, project- 
ing over our heads and from the wall above, a 
long, slender rock, known as Lovers Leap. 
While we rested here for awhile our guide re- 
turned to the crest of the cliff above, and, with 
lantern in hand, climbed onto this projecting 
monolith, and walked out to its very extremity 
as though he intended to make the fatal leap. 
While standing there on its tip, fifty feet above 
our heads, he spoke in deep, clear tones and 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 43 

said, "if any of you have become despondent 
over a love affair and wish to use this rock for 
the purpose indicated by its name, you now have 
the privilege of doing so." 

JOSEPH'S PIT 

From the foot of this hill we entered a nar- 
row opening in the face of the cliff, called Elbow 
Crevice. Through the folded, fluted and wrin- 
kled walls of this narrow crevice we crowded 
until we reached a dark and ragged opening, 
which the guide told us was Joseph's Pit. This 
name recalled to our mind the bible story of 
Egyptian bondage and deliverance, 

NAPOLEON'S DOME 

Our course then turned to the left and we 
soon entered a large hall or avenue, three-fourths 
of a mile in length, and were soon at the base of 
Napoleon's Dome. This is one of the most awe- 
inspiring domes in the great cavern, and is said 
to closely resemble the final resting place of the 
great Napoleon. From the very apex of the 
dome above a massive block of limestone has 



44 TV^ONDERS OF THE 

fallen, called by the guide Gatewood's Dining 
Table. 

GOOD TEMPLARS MONUMENT 

At this point we were directly under the 
Elephants' Heads of Gothic Avenue, and had 
just passed under the Bridal Altar. A short dis- 
tance beyond this dome is a small pool of per- 
fectly clear water called Lake Purity. Near the 
brink of this little lake the Good Templars have 
erected a beautiful temple to their order, a very 
fitting place for such a monument. Just beyond 
Lake Purity, on the left, is a great mass of 
rough limestone concretions and stalagmitic ma- 
terial, cemented together by carbonate of lime, 
and is known as the Cinder Bed, or Devil's Ash 
Pile. 

ANNETTE'S DOME 

After passing for a long distance through 
winding avenues with floors of rough, broken 
rocks, we could hear the faint sound of falling 
water. We then passed down a rugged cliff and 
soon reached the low entrance to Annette's 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 45 



Dome. This is a very high and picturesque 
dome, and gives a good view of the work and 
effect of falling water. The walls are corrugat- 
ed, fluted and folded into imposing forms as if 
they had been fashioned by the hand of a great 
sculptor. Leaping from an opening in the side 
of the wall some thirty feet above comes Shaler's 
Brook. The symphony produced by the un- 
ceasing clatter of this little brook is somewhat 
akin to that heard at the foot of the little cata- 
ract at the mouth of the cave. These waters 
break into spray in their descent and, collecting 
at the bottom, form a little stream which flows 
quietly across the rocky floor of the dome and 
soon passes from view under the mighty lime- 
stone ledges. 

LEE'S CISTERN 

After we have descended another difficult 
hill and have crowded ourselves through small 
and ragged avenues, part of the way on bended 
knees, we again hear the sound of falling waters, 
and squeezing through a small crevice we find 



46 TVONDBRS OF THE 

ourselves near the brink of a large dome, the 
sides of which can not be seen, and the bottom 
of which is filled with water. This reservoir is 
called Lee's Cistern, and receives the waters 
of Shaler's Brook after they have made a wild 
leap of nearly one hundred feet. The avenue 
here closes and ends the journey in this direc- 
tion. 

SENSATIONAL EXPERIENCE 

Retracing^ our journey through Gratz Ave- 
nue we soon reach the Hill of Difficulty again 
which we ascend into Gothic Avenue and are 
soon in the region of the Hornets' Nests and 
Elephants' Heads, which we had viewed an hour 
before. At this point we are directly over the 
crest of Napoleon's Dome, and only a very thin 
shell of rock separates us from the great depths 
below. Here our guide placed his feet, some- 
what apart, firmly on the thin shell-rock floor, 
and, inflating his lungs to their utmost capacity, 
uttered a deep sonorous undertone of stentorian 
volume. The vibrations of his voice were caught 



OREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 47 

Up by the thin floor on which we stood and were 
transmitted to the immense cavity of the dome 
beneath, which, acting as a gigantic resonance 
box, sent back the tone attuned and augmented 
a thousand fold. So intense was this resonance 
that the very floor on which we stood was felt to 
tremble violently as the vibrations reached their 
greatest intensity. This immense volume of 
sound could be heard to roll along unknown and 
unexplored avenues and channels until they 
gradually faded away and were lost in the un- 
trodden gulches and depths below. This is one 
of the unique experiences in the mighty cavern. 

THE STANDING ROCKS 

We returned to the main channel of the cave 
through Gothic Avenue, passing again the Jenny 
lyind Armchair and Bridal Altar, and were soon 
at the Standing Rocks. These immense rocks 
have been detached from the ceiling above, and 
in falling they struck on their edges, and remain 
in that position, hence their name. These are 
the largest rocks, except Gatewood's Dining 



48 TV^ONDERS OF THE 

Table, that have ever fallen from the ceiling". 
As these rocks are very hard and solid, and 
without seam or fissure of any kind, it is hardly 
possible that they were detached by their own 
weight, but must have been literally torn from 
their fastening by some violent internal force. 

MARTHA WASHINGTON STATUE 

The next feature of interest is an illusion, 
and is known as the Martha Washington Statue. 
This mimic statue is formed when a brilliantly 
illuminated wall is interfered with by two inter- 
vening walls in such a way as to give the correct 
outlines of the statue on the face of the lighted 
wall. This deception is almost perfect, and the 
resemblance of the illuminated part of the wall 
to the statue of Martha Washington is very 
striking. The discovery of this illusion was an 
accident, and was made when two exploring par- 
ties had just passed each other in this part of the 
cave. The guide with one of the parties was il- 
luminating a large chamber with a torch, and 
upon looking back in that direction the other 



OREAT MAMMOTH CAVB 49 

parties discovered the brilliant profile of the 
statue. 

SECOND SERIES OF LEACHING VATS 

Near the Martha Washington Statue are to 
be seen the second series of leaching vats used 
by the early miners. These, like the ones at the 
Rotunda near the entrance to the cave, are in a 
good state of preservation. The wooden pipes 
that conveyed the water from the waterfall at the 
mouth of the cave to the vats and back again 
after the leaching process, are supported on 
crude pillars of rough stone just as the miners 
left them almost one hundred years ago. One 
of these is so placed that visitors may test its 
weight by lifting it from its supports, and when 
we lifted it we were amazed at its extreme 
lightness. 

Along the wide avenues in this region of the 
cave, where the ox carts were used to haul the 
leached earth and saltpeter dirt a century ago, 
are to be seen the tracks made by the oxen as 
they plodded their weary way with the heavy 



50 TVONDERS OF THE 

loads of material. The ruts worn by the cart 
wheels, some of them almost hub deep, are as 
distinct today as though they had been made 
only a short time. 

GIANT'S COFFIN 

On our right and close to the wall is one of 
the largest single rocks in the cave. Its shape is 
exactly like that of a large burial casket, and it 
is called the Giant's Coffin. This immense stone 
measures forty-five feet in length, from twelve 
to fifteen feet in width, and eighteen feet in 
height, and is estimated to weigh more than two 
thousand tons. This gruesome looking object 
has been detached from the wall above, and in 
falling it assumed a horizontal position as though 
it had been placed there by the hands of an un- 
dertaker. The place that it once occupied in 
the wall is very distinctly seen, and it was 
doubtless torn from its bed by the same internal 
force that brought down the Standing Rocks, as 
these are in the same region of the cave. 



aREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 51 

GIANT ANT-EATER 

Along this avenue of the cave are seen many 
very accurate and striking color formations. 
These imitation pictures have been formed by 
water, laden with dark mineral matter in solu- 
tion, filtering down from the regions above, and 
staining the light-colored walls and ceiling. One 
of these represents a Giant Ant-eater resting on 
the fallen trunk of an old tree, and is seen on 
the ceiling overhead near the Giant's Coffin. 
This mimic picture is strikingly accurate, and is 
easily recognized by those who have seen either 
the animal, or its picture in natural, history. 

GIANT AND GIANTESS 

Another very fine color imitation is the Gi- 
ant and Giantess. This represents the Giant in 
the attitude of having just hurled an infant from 
his arms, which appears to be passing through 
space toward the Giantess, some twenty feet 
away, while the Giantess herself is in the atti- 
tude of catching the babe in her arms when it- 
reaches her. This imitation picture is almost as 



52 WONDERS OF THE 

perfect as though it had been designed by the 
brain of a great artist and penciled by his skill- 
ful hand. 

THE ACUTE ANGLE 

A short distance beyond the Giant's Coffin 
the avenue turns suddenly to the left, and forms 
what is called the Acute Angle. This is a very 
sharp angle, being not more than sixty-five de- 
grees, and from the vertex in both directions ex- 
tend immense halls of great beauty. This is 
one of the sharpest turns found in any avenue 
of the cave, and reveals the fact that under- 
ground streams—which surely formed all the av- 
enues of this mighty cavern— are subject to the 
same laws and conditions in their courses as are 
the surface streams. The most imposing scene 
at this point is the great stone column that forms 
the vertex of the angle. This is so regular and 
symmetrical that it appears to have been turned 
on some gigantic lathe, the beads and grooves 
being sufficiently large to offer safe footing for 
those who wish to walk upon them. 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 53 

THE STONE COTTAGES 

In the broad avenue a little farther on stand 
the two Stone Cottages that were built in 1843 
for the homes of consumptives. Each contains 
a single room, some twelve or fourteen feet 
square, and the walls are about eight feet high, 
and without roof or cover of any kind. The 
stone of which they are built is a gray limestone, 
not very evenly dressed, and was obtained from 
the loose rocks so abundant throughout this 
region of the cave. 

These abandoned cottages stand only a 
short distance apart, and present a sad and lone- 
some appearance. The writer entered one of 
them with lantern in hand, and upon examina- 
tion found the floor and door casings to show no 
signs of decay after having stood there for two- 
thirds of a century. On the outside of the first 
cottage, and near the wall, stands a wooden 
saw-rack, also in a good state of preservation, 
and which the poor invalids used in sawing wood 
as a means of exercise. 



54 TI^ONDERS OF THE 

HOMES FOR CONSUMPTIVES 

The fact that the atmosphere in the cave is 
almost absolutely pure, and that vegetable and 
Other organic matter decays so slowly, led to the 
erection of these cottages with the hope that con- 
ditions in the cave would prove beneficial to 
those poor unfortunates who were afflicted with 
the dread disease. Soon a dozen or more upon 
whom the malady had fastened itself were car- 
ried to these cottages with the hope of finding 
permanent relief. 

For a short time the pure atmosphere in the 
cave appeared to improve their condition, but as 
they were removed from the influence of the 
sunshine — the most essential thing in such a 
disease — they soon began to grow weaker, and 
in a few months they were all dead. Their bod- 
ies were laid to rest in a little plot of ground not 
far from the mouth of the cave, and the small 
stone tablets still tell their names and the dates 
of their passing away. Since their deaths these 
cottages have stood as silent memorials to them. 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 55 

THE GREAT STAR CHAMBER 

After passing the Stone Cottages we soon 
approach the crowning scene of this avenue. 
The walls widen, the ceiling seems to have as- 
cended beyond the reach of the eyes, and we 
gaze upward into impenetrable darkness. Then 
our guide informs us that we are in the famous 
Star Chamber, and tells us that if we will obey 
his instructions he will show us a beautiful blue 
sky, decked with myriads of twinkling stars. 
All our lamps are removed and we are left in ab- 
solute darkness. Our guide instructed us to re- 
main perfectly still and silent and look upward 
for the appearance of stars in the sky. This in- 
tense darkness, with the deathly silence of our 
party, soon became oppressive, and we then, for 
the first time in life, realized the full meaning of 
absolute blackness and darkness. 

A WONDERFUL ILLUSION 

While we are thus gazing upward into this 
impenetrable gloom of blackness, a faint gleam 
of light breaks on our vision above. This soft 



56 TVONDER8 OF THE 

light gradually becomes a little brighter, and 
soon reveals to us the appearance of a real sky, 
as though we were looking upward at the blue 
dome of heaven. Then the twinkling stars come 
out one by one, and in a short time the mimic 
sky is decked with brilliant constellations, the 
milky way appears, and a comet flashes across the 
celestial dome. As we are intently beholding 
this beautiful and sublime scene, suddenly we 
hear a low muttering as of distant and subdued 
thunder, and in the distance see the dense folds 
of a cloud approaching us. This mimic cloud 
rolls itself out towards us like a banner unfurled 
to the breeze, and in a short time the sky is 
overcast, the stars are blotted out, and we are 
left again in utter darkness. The illusion is so 
perfect that exclamations of wonder and admira- 
tion break from the lips of all our party, not- 
withstanding the instructions of our guide to 
remain silent. 

PRODUCING THE ILLUSION 

This wonderful illusion is produced in the 




RALPH WALDO EMERSON 



OREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 57 



following manner: The blue limestone in the 
ceiling of this great chamber is pierced by innu- 
merable formations of white gypsum which al- 
ways glistens when light is thrown upon it. 
Some of these formations are small, some large, 
some single, and some in clusters. After our 
guide had left us in darkness he entered some 
secluded corner or crevice of the avenue, from 
which the light of his lantern could be thrown 
on the ceiling above us. This light is just suffi- 
cient to give the limestone ceiling the appear- 
ance of a blue sky, and to cause the white gyp- 
sum formations to send back glistening rays as 
though they were shining stars and constella- 
tions. 

EMERSON'S VISIT 

Emerson's essay on "illusions" was written 
after a personal visit to the Mammoth Cave, and 
in this essay he embodies the impressions left on 
him by the Star Chamber. In speaking of his 
visit he says: 

"Some years ago, in company with an 



58 WONDERS OF THE 

agreeable party, I spent a long summer day in 
exploring the Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. We 
traversed, through spacious galleries affording a 
solid masonry foundation for the town and 
county overhead, the six or eight black miles 
from the mouth of the cavern to the innermost 
recess which tourists visit, — a niche or grotto 
made of one seamless stalactite, and called, I 
believe, Serena's Bower. I lost the light of one 
day. I saw high domes, and bottomless pits; 
heard the voices of unseen waterfalls; paddled 
three quarters of a mile in the deep Echo River, 
whose waters are peopled with the blind fish; 
crossed the streams "Lethe" and " Styx;" pli- 
ed with music and guns the echoes in these a- 
larming galleries; saw every form of stalactite 
and stalagmite in the sculptured, fretted cham- 
bers, — icicle, orange-flower, acanthus, grapes, 
and snowball. We shot Bengal lights into the 
vaults and groins of the sparry cathedrals, and 
examined all the masterpieces which the four 
combined engineers, water, limestone, gravita- 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 59 

tion, and time could make in the dark. 

**The mysteries and scenery of the cave had 
the same dignity that belongs to all natural ob- 
jects, and which shames the fine things to which 
we foppishly compare them. I remarked, espe- 
cially, the mimetic habit with which Nature, 
on new instruments, hums her old tunes, mak- 
ing night to mimic day, and chemistry to ape 
vegetation. But I then took notice, and still 
chiefly remember, that the best thing which the 
cave had to offer was an illusion. 

"On arriving at what is called the 'Star 
Chamber,' our lamps were taken from us by the 
guide, and extinguished or put aside, and, on 
looking upwards, I saw, or seemed to see, the 
night heaven thick with stars, glimmering more 
or less brightly over our heads, and even what 
seemed a comet flaming among them. All 
the party were touched with astonishment and 
pleasure. Our musical friends sung with much 
feeling a pretty song, 

"The stars are in the quiet sky." &c., 



60 TVONDERS OF THE 

and I sat down on the rocky floor to enjo}^ the 
serene picture. Some crystal specks in the black 
ceiling^ high overhead, reflecting the light of a 
half-hid lamp, yielded this magnificent effect. 

"I own, I did not like the cave so well for 
eking out its sublimities with this theatrical 
trick. But I have had many experiences like it, 
before and since; and we must be content to be 
pleased without too curiously analyzing the oc- 
casions. Our conversation with Nature is not 
just what it seems." 

PROCTOR'S ARCADE 

Beyond the Star Chamber, for a distance of 
half a mile or more, extends Proctor's Arcade, 
a beautiful avenue filled with interesting scenery 
of various kinds, but is not usually visited by 
tourists in recent years. This ends our journey 
on the old "Route of Pits and Domes," and we 
here retrace our steps, follow our trusted guide, 
who leads us back into the presence of the sun- 
light that w^e had left seven hours before. 



CHAPTER III. 

DESCRIPTIVE 
ROUTES THREE AND FOUR COMBINED 

THE "River Route" includes a portion of 
the "Pits and Domes Route," and may be 
entered through Dante's Gateway just back 
of the Giant's Coffin, or by descending through 
the Corkscrew, a short distance beyond the Ro- 
tunda. Parties who tour the "River Route" 
usually enter through one of these passages and 
return through the other. Our party followed 
the guide along the "Pits and Domes Route" 
to the Giant's Coffin and, passing through a nar- 
row space between the Coffin and walls of the 
avenue, entered the "River Route" through 
Dante's Gateway, reserving the passage of the 
Corkscrew for our return. 

WOODEN BOWL ROOM 

Soon after passing through Dante's Gateway 



62 TVONDERS OF THE 

we emerged into Wooden Bowl Room. This is 
a very beautiful room, and in shape closely re- 
sembles a great wooden bowl. Our guide in- 
formed us that the early explorers of the cave 
found a small wooden bowl in this chamber, 
supposed to have been used by the Indians, and 
this also suggested the name. 

THE BOTTOMLESS PIT 

A short distance beyond the Wooden Bowl 
Room we approached one of the most sensation- 
al scenes in the entire cave — the Bottomless Pit. 
This fearful looking abyss is located in a gloomy 
corner of the great avenue, and extends directly 
across the tourists' pathway. This pit is now 
crossed by the Bridge of Sighs, a rather slender 
wooden structure, but perfectly safe. As we 
stood on the center of this bridge, directly over 
this yawning gulf of darkness, our guide threw 
a lighted torch down its black and ragged sides, 
which shone brightly for a long distance as it 
descended, but finally faded from our view in 
the unfathomable depths below. 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 63 

SHELBY'S DOME 

While we were looking downward into this 
mighty chasm of gloom and darkness, the guide 
called our attention to a scene directly overhead. 
Looking above us we beheld, by the light of a 
burning magnesium ribbon, Shelby's Dome, ex- 
tending upward beyond the reach of the eye. 
This great dome is only an extension of the Bot- 
tomless Pit upwards, and was named in honor of 
Isaac Shelby, who served as first governor of 
Kentucky from 1792 to 1796, and again from 
1812 to 1816. 

BRIDGE OF SIGHS 

To Stand on the slender Bridge of Sighs and 
view the Bottomless Pit beneath, and Shelby's 
Dome above, is an experience of awe and won- 
der that can never be forgotten. Of all the 
names given to the various scenes in the cave, 
not one is more appropriate than Bottomless Pit. 
The sighs of relief expressed by our party as we 
reached the end of the bridge suggested that the 
name "Bridge of Sighs" is also very appropriate. 



64 WONDERS OF THE 

SCOTCHMAN'S TRAP 

After passing the Bottomless Pit a short dis- 
tance we entered a narrow, ragged avenue, and 
directly across our path, and only a few feet 
from the floor, was tilted an immense slab of 
limestone. This huge mass, in ages past, had 
fallen from the roof or walls above, and lodged 
in such a way as to be supported only by a very 
small and narrow projection, the only thing that 
keeps it from falling into the pathway below. 
We were compelled to stoop rather low while we 
passed under this massive stone, and we felt a 
sense of relief when we reached the open avenue 
beyond. This tilted rock is called the Scotch- 
man's Trap, and was so named because a Scotch- 
man was once touring the cave and on reaching 
this rock refused to go any farther, saying that 
it looked like a trap set to catch a Scotchman. 

FAT MAN'S MISERY 

Not far beyond the Scotchman's Trap we 
entered a narrow, tortuous, serpentine channel 
or crevice, known as Fat Man's Misery. This 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 65 

channel is about two hundred and fifty feet in 
length, its walls are only about eighteen inches 
apart, and its direction changes many times. 
The space between the floor and the roof is less 
than five feet in many places, making it about as 
much misery to tall people as to fat ones. The 
walls of this narrow passage are very beautifully 
marked with waves and ripples, as if running 
water had suddenly turned to rock. From Fat 
Man's Misery we pass into a large open room, 
which our guide called Relief Room, surely a 
very appropriate name. 

BACON CHAMBER 

The next room is called Bacon Chamber, 
and is one of the best examples of natural mim- 
icry in the whole cave. Hanging down from 
the ceiling above are masses of limestone shaped 
exactly like rows of shoulders, hams, and sides 
in a smokehouse. These mimic projections 
were formed by the unequal solution of the rock 
substance in the ceiling overhead, when water 
filled this avenue of the cave. 



66 TVONDERS OF THE 

ODD FELLOWS HALL 

A little farther on in this chamber are the 
Odd Fellows Links and the Atlantic Cable, both 
very striking representations, and of stalactitic 
formation. This part of the chamber is known 
as Odd Fellows Hall, and a temple, made from 
the loose rocks in this vicinity of the cave, has 
been erected at this place by members of the 
order. 

THE DEAD SEA 

In a few minutes after leaving Odd Fellows 
Hall, we find a large cliff of limestone, fifty or 
more feet high, to our left, and directly under 
its mighty shelves reposes a solitary pool of wa- 
ter, known as the Dead Sea. Just beyond, and 
on the opposite side, is a small waterfall about 
the same size as the one that leaps from the mid- 
arch of the limestone entrance to the cave, and 
our guide told us that it was thought to be a re- 
appearance of that subterranean stream. 

THE NATURAL BRIDGE 

Proceeding a short distance we found the 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 67 

walls began to recede, and in a few minutes the 
guide informed us that we were on the center of 
the Natural Bridge. Looking downward, thirty 
feet below, we saw the black waters of the River 
Styx, a stream about forty feet wide, winding 
its way under the bridge. This bridge was for- 
merly very dangerous, and our guide informed 
us that on one occasion Prof. Silliman, of Har- 
vard, accidentally slipped from the crest of the 
bridge, and was barely saved by his guide, who 
caught him just in time to keep him from falling 
into the dark waters beneath. Since that time 
the place has been protected by a heavy iron 
guard-rail. 

LAKE LETHE 

Passing beyond the Natural Bridge, we en- 
tered a very large and beautiful hall, on the left 
of which is located the quiet body of water called 
Lake Lethe. This lake is three or four hundred 
feet long and forty or fifty feet wide, and in ap- 
pearance very much resembles the River Styx, 
with whose waters it is supposed to be connected. 



68 WONDERS OF THE 

We crossed the lake near its narrowest point on 
a small pontoon bridge. 

THE GREAT WALK 

The avenue here is very wide, and its ceil- 
ing, which is almost one hundred feet high, is 
most beautifully flecked with variously colored 
and wrinkled limestone, giving it the appearance 
of real snow clouds in a wintry sky. Our guide 
here lighted some magnesium ribbon that we 
might see the effect in all its beauty and splen- 
dor. This broad avenue, covered with fine sand, 
is called the Great Walk, is about a quarter of 
a mile long, and leads directly to Echo River, 
the most interesting collection of water in the 
entire cave. 

ECHO RIVER 

Echo River varies in width from twenty to 
two hundred feet, and in depth from ten to forty 
feet, and its navigable length is about three- 
fourths of a mile. There are three arches in the 
limestone walls on the right, and the boats may 
be launched through either of them. When the 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 69 

water is high it is impossible to pass under the 
first arch as it is only about three feet above 
low water. We did not enter through this arch, 
but went on to the second one which is much 
higher. 

In going from the first to the second arch 
we passed through a place called the Sandy Des- 
ert, and just to our left was a dark, muddy, 
slimy region, which the guide pointed out to us 
as Purgatory. When we reached the second 
arch we were carried to one of the flatboats 
moored there; and after placing our lanterns in 
the center of the boat, and seating ourselves in 
equal numbers on each side, we were ready to 
begin our voyage of half a mile or more, at a 
distance of three hundred and sixty feet below 
the surface of the earth. 

MARVELOUS ECHO 

When our boat was fairly launched we were 
requested by our guide to remain quiet that 
we might witness the wonderful resonant quali- 
ties of the river tunnel. When all were silent 



70 TVOJVDERS OF THE 

the guide uttered a deep, sonorous tone of great 
volume, keyed to the proper pitch to bring forth 
the responses from this mighty underground 
river tunnel. When he ceased, it appeared that 
the very water, the walls, the ceiling, and every 
nook and corner of the tunnel took up the tones 
and reverberated them from surface to ceiling, 
from wall to wall, from corner to crevice, until 
the whole limestone tunnel seemed to vibrate 
with the sweet resonance. 

This continued for some time, and as the 
tones augmented they grew in melody and sweet- 
ness, and it seemed as if every gallery, avenue, 
and chamber in the mighty cavern had joined 
in the chorus. Finally the vibrations became a 
little weaker, the tones appeared to be a little 
softer, the volume was fading little by little, as 
the evening twilight softens into darkness, and 
thus the sound faded away so gently and imper- 
ceptibly that we scarcely knew when silence had 
returned. The effect of this thrilling experience 
is wonderfully touching and sublime. 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 71 

CORNET ECHO 

Our guide then took a silver cornet from a 
ledge of the river tunnel and blasted forth a 
succession of notes on the same key as those he 
had produced with his voice. As before, the 
same wonderful reverberation filled the river 
tunnel, but with tones still more melodious and 
enchanting. As these tones came back to us 
attuned and augmented a thousand fold, it seem- 
ed as though all the musicians of Sousa and Gil- 
more might have been assembled in a musical 
jubilee around the throne of Orpheus. 

These musical notes died away as gradually 
as if they were coming from a receding band, 
and soon silence had again returned. I never 
before knew the full meaning and effect of echo, 
reverberation, and resonance. The impressions 
produced on one by this wonderful and unique 
experience can never fade from memory. 

WELLINGTON'S GALLERIES 

A short distance beyond where we landed 
could be heard the falling waters of a cascade, 



73 TVONDERS OF THE 

and this chamber has been named Cascade Hall. 
A small avenue at the right leads to Roaring 
River, which is noted for its remarkable echo. 
We next entered Silliman's Avenue and found 
in it many places and objects of great interest. 
Far above the floor are large, shelf -like project- 
ions on each side, and these are called Welling- 
ton's Galleries. At the Dripping Springs we 
found buckets filled with the falling water, and 
from the clean tin cups that were hanging on the 
ledges of the walls we took a delicious draught 
of pure spring water. 

SERPENT HALL 

The next objects of interest in Silliman's 
Avenue are the Infernal Regions, Pluto's Dome, 
and Old Scratch Hall. In Serpent Hall are 
many winding grooves in the ceiling, which are 
very singular, and resemble closely the trails of 
crawling serpents. The guide informed us that 
this hall is completely filled with water when 
Echo River is at its highest point, hence these 
grooves are still forming in the ceiling during the 



OREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 73 

wet season at every overflow of the river. 

GREAT WESTERN 

We next descended a long, rugged hill, 
which our guide called the Hill of Fatigue, and 
saw at our left a great mass of limestone ledges, 
closely resembling the hull of a large ocean 
steamer, and this has received the name Great 
Western, in contrast with the Great Eastern, 
the vessel which laid the first Atlantic cable, and 
which was launched just before this was dis- 
covered in the cave. 

VALLEY OF FLOWERS 

Just beyond the Great Western we passed 
through the Valley of Flowers, a most beautiful 
and enchanting chamber, in which are mimic 
flowers of all sizes, forms and varieties. The last 
chamber of special interest in Silliman's Avenue 
is Ole Bull's Concert Hall. This is a spacious 
chamber with almost perfectly smooth walls and 
ceiling, and was so named because that famous 
Norwegian violinist once gave a musical concert 
here. 



74 TTONDERS OF THE 



THE HANGING ROCKS 

From Silliman's Avenue we entered into 
El Ghor, a very rough and rugged avenue, and 
near the entrance we passed under the Hanging 
Rocks. These are massive rocks directly over- 
head, supended by very small, neck-like fasten- 
ings of rock substance, and seem just ready to 
fall upon the heads of the tourists. This pecul- 
iar formation, like that of Bacon Chamber, was 
caused by the unequal solution of the rock sub- 
stance in past geologic ages when water filled 
this avenue. 

THE FLY CHAMBER 

We next entered Fly Chamber. This 
chamber is rather wide but the ceiling is only 
a few feet above our heads. The walls and 
rocks here are covered with millions of black 
gypsum crystals resembling a house fly in size 
and form. 

SHEEP-SHELTER AND VICTORIA'S CROWN 

Next on our left at the height of about 
three feet, is a thin rock about twenty feet 



QREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 75 

long which juts out from the wall more than 
ten feet, and is called the Sheep-Shelter. Just 
to the right and a little farther on is a mass 
of rock nearly twenty feet in diameter and 
in shape closely resembles a crown. This is 
called Victoria's Crown. 

MARTHA'S VINEYARD 

Following El Ghor for about half a mile 
farther we come to Hebe's Springs, where we 
climb a rough stone stairway and enter 
Martha's Vineyard. Here a slender stalactite 
winds and curves from floor to ceiling and is 
called the Grapevine. Branching from this 
vine are numberless clusters of calcium, covered 
with black oxide of iron. These are such per- 
fect mimics of real grape clusters that they 
almost offer a temptation to pluck them. 

WASHINGTON HALL 

We now enter Washington Hall, a large 
circular chamber, and find it to be one of the 
most attracting places we have seen since enter- 
ing the cave. The feature of interest about this 



76 TVONDBRS OF THE 

hall is not its natural beauty or immense size, 
but that we here find a well prepared lunch 
awaiting us. I do not know who prepared it, or 
where it came from, but I know very well that 
we soon disposed of it in grand style, and after 
a rest of half an hour we were ready to pursure 
our journey of sight-seeing. 

SNOWBALL ROOM 

Snowball Room is the next object of interest 
beyond Washington Hall. The ceiling of this 
room is completely covered with hemispherical 
masses of white gypsum, looking exactly as if 
thousands of snowballs had been thrown against 
its surface, and were still clinging there. 

CLEVELAND'S CABINET 

We next entered Cleveland's Cabinet, a 
very long, wide and magnificent avenue, filled 
with dazzling alabaster brilliants of every form, 
color and size. 

In this avenue we find perfect mimics of 
every flower that grows in forest, field, meadow, 
garden or prairie, making it a perfect fairyland 



QREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 77 

of lilies and flowers. Magnificent names are 
given to different portions of this avenue, all of 
them justified by the beauty and grandeur of the 
formations. Among these are Flora's Garden, 
Vale of Diamonds, Mary's Bower, Floral Cross, 
Marble Hall, Last Rose of Summer, Diamond 
Grotto, Gem Hall, and Charlotte's Grotto. 

LAST ROSE OF SUMMER 

One of the most beautiful and perfect of 
these cave flowers is a large white rose about 
one foot in diameter, whose alabaster petals 
curve gracefully outward from a central disk, 
looking as if nature had blended all her beauty 
and loveliness in this one rose. When Jenny 
Lind visited the cave in 1852 she stood directly 
under this flower and sang, with all the sweet- 
ness of her soul, "The Last Rose of Summer," 
and since that time this beautiful cave flower 
has been called "The Last Rose of Summer." 

ROCKY MOUNTAINS 

From this paradise of flowers, lilies, rubies 
and gems, we ascend an almost impassable 



78 WONDERS OF THE 

mountain of loose rocks which our guide called 
the Rocky Mountains. This immense mountain 
pile was formed in ages past when millions of 
tons of rocks "tumbled down" from the ceiling 
of the avenue to the floor beneath. At the 
summit of this rugged mountain we found our- 
selves in a very large and lofty hall which has 
been named Call's Rotunda. At this point the 
guide informed us that we were nearer to the 
surface than we had been since entering the cave. 
He also said that at this point faint rumblings 
of the trains on the L. & N. railroad had been 
heard. 

CROGHAN'S HALL 

From the Rotunda we could look down into 
a deep, gloomy gorge, known as the Dismal 
Hollow. Extending from the Rotunda on the 
left is an avenue leading directly to Croghan's 
Hall. This room is about sixty feet in diameter 
and thirty feet high, and in it are many very 
large and beautiful stalactites, some of them de- 
faced by vandalism. 



OREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 79 

THE MAELSTROM 

Just to the right, and near the wall, is a 
ragged, black, deep, yawning pit, called the 
Maelstrom. This dark and gloomy chasm is 
said to be one hundred and seventy-five feet deep, 
and in appearance is very much like the Bottom- 
less Pit. Only a few daring persons have ventur- 
ed to descend its gloomy depths, and these have 
found no avenues leading off from the bottom 
of sufficient size to admit passage any farther. 

END OF THE CAVE 

We are now at the end of our subterranean 
journey, as Croghan's Hall is the termination 
of the Mammoth Cave as it is known at the 
present. The avenue is here completely closed 
by a massive, compact stalactite called Serena's 
Bower. There is no other way out except 
that by which we entered untill we have return- 
ed to the Corkscrew. Retracing our steps we 
pass again through the shining crystaline gardens 
of Cleveland's Avenue, through El Ghor and 
Silliman's Avenue, pass Echo River again by 



80 WONDERS OF THE 

boat, recross the River Styx by the Natural 
Bridge, and are soon at the great Corkscrew, 
ready to make the ascent. 

THE CORKSCREW 

The Corkscrew is one of the most peculiar 
and wonderful scenes within this great under- 
ground world, and the passage through it is 
very difficult to make, especially at the end of 
the long tour through the cave. It is a huge 
mass of broken limestone blocks and ledges, fill- 
ing an immense and irregular dome or pit, all 
tumbled together in a confused and irregular 
manner, as if the San Francisco earthquake had 
visited the place. Upward for a distance of 
fifty or sixty feet we climbed, crawled, and 
squeezed through the narrow openings, crevices 
and fissures, untill we finally made our exit 
near the great Kentucky Cliffs. We are now in 
the avenue which leads us directly to the 
Rotunda. Passing this we enter again into 
Hutchin's Narrows, and are soon at the great 
iron gate which our guide unlocks, and through 




BAYARD TAYLOR 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 81 

which we pass into the light of the world above. 

BAYARD TAYLOR'S VISIT 

A visit to the Mammoth Cave ought to be 
taken by every lover of the beautiful and sub- 
lime in nature. Bayard Taylor, the great 
American author and traveler, declared that he 
had never seen anything that would compare in 
beauty, wonder and sublimity with the Great 
Mammoth Cave. In speaking of his visit he 
said: " I have been twelve hours underground, 
but I have gained an age in a strange and hither- 
to unknown world — an age of wonderful experi- 
ence and an endless store of sublime and lovely 
memories. Before taking a final leave of the 
Mammoth Cave, however, let me assure those 
who have followed me through it that no descrip- 
tion can do justice to its sublimity or present a fair 
picture of its manifold wonders. It is the greatest 
natural curiosity I have ever visited, Niagara not 
excepted, and he whose expectations are not sat- 
isfied by its marvelous avenues, domes and starry 
grottoes must either be a fool or a demigod." 



CHAPTER IV. 
Process of Cave-Making 

GEOLOGICAL 

IN order that the reader may have a better 
understanding of the processes by which 
great caves have been formed, a brief sketch 
of the geological processes by which the earth's 
crust has been formed seems necessary, the two 
processes being only different phases of the same 
forces. In this brief sketch only a few of the 
leading facts connected with these processes can 
be given. 

Geology is the science which treats of the 
rocks composing the crust of the earth, of their 
composition and structure, how they were 
originally made, and how they have been modi- 
fied to bring them to their present condition. 
Historical geology is the phase of geological 
science which considers the stratified rocks in 



OREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 83 

their regular chronological order, and the prog- 
ress and advance of animal and vegetable life 
upon the earth's surface as recorded by the fossil 
remains found in different strata of the rocks. 

The geologist studies the natural changes 
that are now taking place on the earth's surface, 
and the causes which bring them about, in order 
that he may understand more clearly the changes 
that have occurred in the past. In this way he 
becomes familiar with all the agencies that have 
fashioned the face of our planet in its present 
variety of forms, and he is now able to read 
with much accuracy the history of the earth and 
the successive forms of animal and vegetable 
life as they appeared upon it, and their evolu- 
tion from primitive types to their present forms 
of perfection. 

The rocks of the earth's crust are of two 
general classes, — igneous and sedimentary. The 
igneous rocks are composed of different materials 
but are all of volcanic origin, having been eject- 
ed at different periods of the earth's history. 



84 T^ONDERS OF THE 

The sedimentary rocks always occur in layers or 
strata, and for this reason are generally called 
stratified rocks. In their origin the stratified 
rocks are either aqueous, — formed by the action 
of water; aerial, — formed by the action of air; 
chemical, — formed by chemical action; or or- 
ganic, — formed from vegetable or animal matter. 
The latter two of these are the ones mostly in- 
volved in the making of the great caverns of the 
earth, of which the Mammoth Cave is greatest. 

AGE OF THE EARTH 

The age of the earth, since stratification be- 
gan, may be estimated with some degree of ac- 
curacy by observing the rate of sedimentary 
deposit in the sea. This rate of deposit has been 
estimated by the best geologists to be about one 
foot in every twenty -five hundred years. As the 
thickness of the stratified rocks of the earth's 
crust, including all the different formations at 
their greatest thickness, is perhaps forty miles, 
the time necessary to produce these formations 
must reach back hundreds of millions of years. 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 85 



Geological Divisions of Time 

The following outline represents the divis- 
ions of geological time adopted by most geolo- 
gists. Four grand divisions of time, called eras, 
are divided into ten periods, and these in turn 
are divided into a varying number of epochs. 

ERAS PERIODS EPOCHS 

I Recent 

J 

iGlacial 

I Pliocene 
-\ Miocene 
I Eocene 

f Permian 

; Pennsylvanian 

I^Mississippian 



, Quaternary 

Cenozoic \ 

I 

^ Tertiary 

i Cretaceous 

Mesozoic \ Jurassic 

j Triassic 

[ Carboniferous 

\ Devonian 

Paleozoic <| Silurian 

i Ordovician 

I Cambrian 

Azoic 

In this outline it should be 



remembered that 



86 WONDERS OF THE 

the largest assemblages of rock formations are 
called groups, and the divisions of time during 
which they were formed are called eras. These 
groups are subdivided into ten systems, and the 
divisions of time during which the systems were 
formed are called periods. The systems are 
subdivded into various series, and the cor- 
responding divisions of time are known as 
epochs. The name given to each essemblage of 
formations is also given to the corresponding di- 
visions of time. Thus we speak of the Paleozo- 
ic group of rocks, meaning a certian assemblage 
of formations very similar in their organism; 
and of the Paleozoic era, meaning the time dur- 
ing which they were deposited. In the same 
way we speak of the Silurian rocks and the Si- 
lurian peroid, of the Permian rocks and the 
Permian epoch. 

THE AZOIC GROUP 
The Azoic group comprises the oldest of the 
known sedimentary or stratified rocks, and min- 
gled with these are great quantities of igneous 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 87 

rocks. Many of the best modern geologists hold 
the theory that these igneous rocks, when in a 
molten state, were intruded among the sedi- 
mentary rocks through crevices and breaks 
caused by internal forces. The upper part of 
this group, which is sometimes called the Al- 
gonkian group, is composed of more clearly de- 
fined stratified rocks than the lower part, which 
is sometimes called the Archean group. The 
upper part of the Azoic group is partially ex- 
posed to view in some parts of the Lake Superior 
region, and especially in the deep gorges of 
the Grand Canyon of the Colorado. The great- 
est deposits of iron and copper ore are found 
among the upper rocks of this group. Only 
a very few of the slightest traces of vege- 
table or animal fossils have been found among 
the rocks of this group, and these are of the 
crudest primitive kind; and for this reason the 
name Azoic (without life) has been given to 
this group. The old names Archean and Al- 
gonkian are still used by some geologists. 



88 TVONDERS OF THE 

THE PALEOZOIC GROUP 

The Paleozoic group rests next above the 
Azoic. The time required to deposit these form- 
ations, although much shorter than the Azoic, 
must be reckoned in millions of years. During 
this era there was a marked advance in life or- 
ganism, both animal and vegetable, as shown 
by the fossil deposits, more than five hundred 
species of invertebrates being represented. 

The Paleozoic formations are arranged in 
five systems, in the following order: Cambrian, 
Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous. 
The first three of these systems are sometimes 
called the older Paleozoic, and the last two the 
later Paleozoic. 

The Cambrian System 

The rocks of the Cambrian system are 
widely distributed over nearly all of the American 
continent, although the outcrops are limited to 
rather small areas. Coarse sandstones, shales, 
and heavy beds of limestones form the principal 
deposits. 



OREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 80 

The Ordovician System 
The Ordovician rocks are located immediate- 
ly above the Cambrian system, and as the two 
systems are closely united, it is certain that no 
great internal forces were in action during their 
formations. The fossil remains of the Ordovician 
rocks show that great advances had been made 
in both animal and vegetable life. 
The Silurian System 
The Silurian rocks are evidently of shallow- 
water deposits, and in some places reach a total 
thickness of several thousand feet, while in other 
places the formations are only a few feet in 
thickness. The region of the Mississippi valley 
was covered with a rather shallow and quiet sea 
during the Silurian period, and this sea was 
well adapted to the formation of limestone, as 
it was surrounded by low lands from which it 
received little waste. It was during this period 
that the blue limestone formations were deposit- 
ed through which the solvent waters have carved 
the great Mammoth Cave. Animal and veg- 



90 TVONDERS OF THE 

etable organism advanced very rapidly during 
the Silurian period. 

The Devonian System 
The rocks of the Devonian system rest 
conformably upon the Silurian system, and this 
closely related position testifies that no great up- 
lifts of the continents, or mountain-making 
forces, occurred during these formations. The 
rocks of this system consist principally of sand- 
stones, shales, and limestones. Numerous ver- 
tebrate animals appeared during this period, and 
these are doubtless the ancestors of all the 
swarming hosts of the vertebrates of today. 
Vegetable life also made great advances during 
this period, and we here find the fossil remains of 
extensive and luxuriant forests for the first time. 
The Carboniferous System 
The Carboniferous system rests above 
the Devonian, and as the strata of the two systems 
conform to each other rather closely, it is evi- 
dent that no great physical disturbances occur- 
red during these formations. The conditions for 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 91 



the formation of vast coal deposits were extreme- 
ly favorable during this period, and it was at 
this time that the great coal beds of our own 
country originated. 

During this period the climate was very 
warm, and the surface was shallow water, or a 
marshy plain. Extensive and luxuriant forests 
of a tropical nature, dense undergrowths, vast 
jungles of carboniferous ferns, and immense 
thickets of various other coal-producing plants 
all continued to accumulate for hundreds of thou- 
sands of years upon this low, marshy plain. The 
sediments from this shallow water continued to 
accumulate and cover these deposits, and when 
the surface was emerged from the sea this sedi- 
ment overlaid the vegetable deposits at variable 
depths. During the vast lapses of time that have 
intervened since these deposits, chemical action 
has changed them into bituminous and anthracite 
coal. Animal life made as great advances during 
this period as did the vegetable. This system 
includes three distinct series, — the Mississippian, 



92 TVONDERS OF THE 

the Pennsylvanian, and the Permian, — and the 
principal deposits, besides the coal, are sand- 
stones, limestones, shales, and fire clay. 
THE MESOZOIC GROUP 

The Mesozoic group is next in order above 
the Paleozoic, and the time required for this 
formation was much shorter than the Paleozoic 
era, yet it extends through millions of years. 
There are three systems comprised in the Meso- 
zoic group, — the Triassic, the Jurassic, and the 
Cretaceous. 

The Triassic System 

The rocks of the Triassic system are differ- 
ent varieties of sandstone, and contain no sea 
fossils. The formations are about one mile in 
thickness, and some of the layers are ripple- 
marked, and contain tracks of reptiles. 
The Jurassic System 

The rocks of the Jurassic system are next 
above those of the Triassic, and are chiefly shale 
and slate, intermingled with various lava deposits 
in many places. These are exposed to view in 



QREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 93 

numerous places in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. 
The Cretaceous System 

The rocks of the Cretaceous system are 
principally limestone, and they reach a thick- 
ness of more than a thousand feet in many 
places. These limestone rocks rest directly on 
the formations of the Jurassic system, but in a 
few localities where no Jurassic formations occur 
they rest unconformably on the Triassic sand- 
stones. 

During the era of the Mesozoic formations 
there was a more marked advance in animal life 
than during any previous era. It was during 
this time that some of the most wonderful animals 
of land and sea flourished. Petrified and fossil re- 
mains of these great monsters of the sea and 
flying dragons of the air are frequently found 
among the deposits of this era. It was during 
this era that the first uplifts of the Rocky 
Mountains and the Cordileras occurred. 
THE CENOZOIC GROUP 

The formations of the Cenozoic group com- 



94 TVONDERS OF THE 

prise the uppermost strata of the earth as it ex- 
ists today. The rocks of this group rest iincon- 
formably upon those of the Mesozoic group. 
This unconformable condition is the result of 
the physical disturbances that occurred during 
this time. It was during this era that the higher 
orders of animals appeared, and for this reason 
the era is sometimes called the Age of Mammals. 
Vegetable life made as great advances during 
this era as did animal life, and included most of 
the genera of the present. The Cenozoic era 
comprises two periods, — the Tertiary and the 
Quaternary. 

The Tertiary Period. 
The rocks of the Tertiary period are princi- 
pally limestone, sandstone, and shale. The strata 
are found in the lowlands of the Gulf states, the 
narrow coastal plains of the Atlantic, the valley 
of the Columbia river, and the valleys about 
Puget sound. But in Utah and Colorado the 
same starta are found more than five thousand 
feet above sea level, showing that uplifts occur- 



GREATMAMMOTH CAVE 95 

red during this period. The fact that Tertiary- 
limestone, which is of marine formation, is 
found near the summits of the Alps, the Pyrenees, 
the Caucasus, and the Himalayas, is evidence 
that these lofty mountains received most of their 
uplift during the Tertiary period. 

Intense Volcanic Action 

This period was also noted for violent and 
intense volcanic action on all the continents. In 
North America most of the western basins were 
filled with lava flow from the numerous active 
volcanoes, many of these lava beds being five 
thousand feet in thickness. Historic Vesuvius, 
then a submarine volcano, broke forth for the 
first time, and with short intervals of inactivity 
has remained an active volcano. Since its first 
eruptions, the mountain-making forces have 
raised it to its present height. 

The Quaternary Period 

The Quaternary period, the last one of 
geological history, began with the appearance of 
the higher order of mammals that exist today, 



06 TVONDERS OF THE 

and extends to the present time. It was within 
this period that man, the crowning glory of God's 
creation, made his appearance on earth. This 
period is divided into two distinct epochs, — the 
Glacial and the Recent. 

The Glacial Epoch 

The hot tropical climate of the Mesozoic era 
and the milder climate of the Tertiary period had 
now passed away. These climates were followed 
by a succession of frozen ages during which all 
of the northern parts of North America, and 
much of Europe, were covered with immense ice 
sheets, similar to those that cover Greenland 
today* 

Glacial Action 

As these vast glaciers moved slowly over 
the face of the earth they cut and carved the 
surface in various ways, ground the rocks to 
pieces beneath their great weight, filled up 
valleys and waterways, changed the courses of 
rivers, and left great hills of waste in their course 
in the form of drumlins, moraines, terraces, 



OREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 97 

and many other formations that exist at this day. 

When the climate again modified and these 
ice sheets melted away, they left the surface 
deposits somewhat as they are found today. 
By a careful study of the records in these depos- 
its of drift we may read the history of the Gla- 
cial epoch with as much accuracy as we read the 
history of former epochs by their fossil deposits 
in the rocks. 

The Recent Epoch 

The gradual melting of the great ice sheets 
of Europe and North America ended the Glacial 
epoch, and quietly ushered in the Recent epoch, 
which reaches from that time to the present. 
The time required for these vast fields of ice to 
entirely disappear was so infinitely great that 
the two epochs gradually blend into each other. 

It has been during the Recent epoch that 
the greatest advances in the world's history have 
occurred. Man has advanced from his primitive 
state of barbarism and savagery to the higest at- 
tainments of social, moral, and religious life. 



98 WONDERS OF THE 

His achievements are so wonderful, his powers 
so extensive, his possibilities so nearly unlimit- 
ed that he bears marks of kinship to Him in 
whose image he was created; and to learn of his 
progress and wonderful works on earth, geology- 
gives way to history. 

CAVE-MAKING 
From the preceding brief sketch of the 
processes by which the earth's crust has 
been formed, the reader may readily understand 
the processes by which great caverns are made. 
These great caverns are formed only in localities 
where conditions are favorable for cave-making. 
Kentucky occupies a portion of the largest 
cave region known to the world today. This 
extensive region of caves, sink holes, and sub- 
terranean streams, extends far into Indiana on 
the north, and throughout the greater portion 
of Tennessee on the south, a portion of it even 
extending into Georgia, where, at the foot of 
the Raccoon Mountains, is located the great Nic- 
ojack Cave. Within this cave region are located 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 99 

many of the largest and most beautiful caverns 
of the world, the most wonderful of them all 
being the famous Mammoth Cave in Edmond- 
son county, Kentucky. 

Necessary Conditions 

One of the most essential conditions for ex- 
tensive cave-making is the presence of limestone 
rocks. The oolitic limestone, through which the 
avenues and channels of the Mammoth Cave 
have been carved, was deposited during the Si- 
lurian period, when the sea covered this part of 
the continent. This limestone was formed from 
the calcareous, powdered particles of corals, ma- 
rine shells, and other similar animal remains. 
As it contains large quantities of lime carbonate, 
it yields readily to the solvent action of water, 
and for this reason is sometimes called ' 'cavern 
limestone." 

Thickness of Strata 

The blue Silurian limestone in the region 
of the Mammoth Cave reaches a known thickness 
of nearly three hundred and fifty feet, this being 



lOO WONDERS OF THE 

the vertical distance between the highest and 
lowest chambers of the cave. The waters of 
Echo River and the River Styx occupy the lowest 
levels of the cave, and have their channels in 
this limestone; and how far below the waters of 
these streams the limestone extends we have no 
means of knowing. The total thickness is per- 
haps four hundred feet, and the time necessary 
for its formation not less than a million of years. 
Horizontal Strata 
The limestone strata exposed to view with- 
in the various chambers and domes of the cave 
usually rest in a horizontal position, being only 
slightly tilted in a very few places. From this 
condition it is evident that this region was 
practically free from any violent internal up- 
heavals during the period in which this lime- 
stone was deposited . This und isturbed condition 
of the limestone strata was a favorable feature in 
the formation of the Mammoth Cave, as it per- 
mitted a free circulation of the solvent water 
during the time it w^as carving the immense 



OREAT MAMMOTH CAVE lOl 

channels, avenues, and chambers throughout the 
cave. 

Kaskaskia Sandstone 

Just above the limestone, in most places in 
the vicinity of the cave, is a rather hard, com- 
pact layer of Kaskaskia sandstone. As this sand- 
stone does not yield to the chemical action of 
water, it forms a kind of protecting roof above 
the limestone, and prev^ents the free passage of 
surface water to the limestone beneath. This 
impervious roof of sandstone has greatly retard- 
ed the cave-making process, and has, to a great 
extent, modified the formations within the cave. 
Solvent Action of Water 

When rain water falls on the surface it 
gathers into itself great quantities of acids, 
— principally carbonic, — from the air, the soil, 
and decaying vegetable matter. With this ad- 
ditional solvent power the water seeps downward 
to the limestone starta, through any natural 
openings or passage ways, and immediately be- 
gins its attack on the solvent oolitic limestone 



102 TVONDERS OF THE 

rocks. The work of erosion is rapid or slow ac- 
cording to the condition of the rocks on which 
the water acts, the oolitic limestone being the 
most easily dissolved. 

Forming Channels. 

As the limestone is eaten away, channels 
begin to form through which the water can pass 
more readily. Through these channels, — very 
small at first, — the water continues to pass, 
carving them wider and deeper, and carrying 
with it the mineral burden taken from the sol- 
vent rocks, until it has found or made a place of 
exit, and usually emerges at the foot of some 
hill, or in the channel of some river, as a clear, 
running spring, sometimes of enormous size. 
This process is continued throughout countless 
ages, until the whole limestone region becomes 
honeycombed with cavern channels passing in 
all directions, and of various forms and sizes. 
Insoluble Rocks. 

Mingled with the soluble oolitic limestone 
in this region, are other kinds of rocks and 



GREAT MAIMMOTH CAVE 103 

Other grades of limestone of a harder and less 
soluble nature. These harder portions resist 
the action of water to a very great extent, and 
this causes the avenues, chambers, and galleries 
within the cave to be very irregular and un- 
symmetrical in size and form. The effect of 
this unequal solution of rock substance is very 
marked at the Hanging Rocks, Bacon Chamber, 
Serpent Hall, Sheep Shelter, Great Western, 
Pigeon Boxes, Victoria's Crown, Lover's Leap, 
and many other places throughout the cave. 
Sink Holes 
Sink holes always abound in regions of lime- 
stone caverns. These are usually formed by 
the solvent action of the water as it percolates 
through the limestone joints and crevices, en- 
larging them into concave and funnel shaped pits 
or swallows. Through these openings the sur- 
face water readily passes to the subterranean 
channels beneath. Sometimes the roof of an ex- 
tended cavern will become so weakened from 
erosion that it can not support itself, and a 



104 WONDERS OF THE 

breakdown then occurs, forming a low, sunken 
valley, which is really a sink hole on a large 
scale. Many of these large sink holes, or sunken 
valleys, are found in the region of the Mammoth 
Cave, some of them containing hundreds of acres 
of fine farming lands. 

Stalactites 
While the chemical action of the water is 
constantly enlarging the avenues in all the wet 
regions of the cave by erosion, it is at the same 
time filling them up at certain places by a 
different process. In the higher levels of the 
cave, where the water from the surface can 
reach the avenues more easily, great clusters of 
stalactites and stalagmites are being formed, 
some of them of immense size and of great beauty. 
As the water filters down through the limestone 
above, it becomes laden with mineral sub- 
stances, — principally gypsum in various degrees 
of purity. As this mineral water drips from 
the walls and ceiling of the cave, each drop de- 
posits a portion of its mineral burden, forming 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 105 

inverted, pendant cones, similar in form to the 
icicles made by dripping water in the winter, 
and these formations are called stalactites. 
Stalagmites 
When the water has deposited a portion of 
its mineral burden on the lower tips of the 
stalactites, it falls to the floor beneath and forms 
deposits of the same material, but usually a little 
thicker and not so pointed, and these are called 
stalagmites. These stalactites and stalagmites 
continue to grow, the stalactites downward, and 
the stalagmites upward, until they sometimes 
meet and form immense colunis or pillars, as if 
to support the limestone ceiling above. Among 
the colums of this kind are the three pillars of 
the Bridal Altar, the Post Oak Pillar, the Pillar 
of Hercules, the Lone Sentinel, the beautiful 
Jenny Lind Armchair, and numerous others 
throughout the upper levels of the cave. The 
largest formation of this kind within the cave 
is Serena's Bower, which completely closes the 
avenue just beyond Croghan's Hall, terminat- 



106 WONDERS OF THE 

ing the cave in that direction. 

Tumble-Down 
When the top layers of limestone are dis- 
solved and carried away by the action of the 
solvent water within the cave, the sandstone 
cap still above is left without sufficient support, 
and in many places these sandstones break away 
in huge masses, tumbling into the avenues be- 
neath, sometimes closing the passage entirely, 
and sometimes forming great mountains over 
which the tourist must pass in exploring the 
cave. Such a mass of detached rocks is called 
a ' 'tumble-down. ' ' Limitation Hill, which closes 
the avenue at Lover's Leap, is an immense 
"tumble-down," and another similar mass closes 
Audubon Avenue just beyond Olive's Bower. 
The most extensive "tumble-down" within the 
cave is at Call's Rotunda, and has been named 
Rocky Mountains. This vast pile of rocks does 
not entirely close the avenue, and tourists pass 
over it to visit Croghan's Hall, where the avenue 
is completely closed by Serena's Bower. 



OREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 107 

Green River 

Green River, the only surface stream in the 
vicinity of the Mammoth Cave, flows through 
a greater portion of the cave region of Kentucky. 
This river has cut a deep channel in the lime- 
stone through which it passes, and is navigable 
for small steamers as far as the mouth of the 
Mammoth Cave, near which it passes. It has 
no surface streams for tributaries within the 
cavern region, but is fed exclusively by under- 
ground streams. It is evident that Echo River 
within the cave is connected with Green River 
by some subterranean channel, as their waters 
always rise and fall simultaneously. 
Dry and Wet Regions 

In many regions of the cave the avenues 
and chambers extend for miles in a perfectly 
dry condition. In these dry regions the proc- 
ess of cave-making has ceased entirely, and if 
never disturbed by any forces that will turn the 
water into them again, these regions will remain 
until the end of time just as they are today. 



108 WONDERS OF THE 

In many other regions in the cave the waters 
are still at work, forming stalactites and stalag- 
mites, cutting into the limestone walls, and 
channels, changing the size and form of the 
avenues, chambers, and galleries of the cave, 
just as it has been doing through the countless 
years since the cave began its formation. It will 
be for remotely future ages to witness the final 
form, size, and fashion of this, the largest and 
most sublime of nature's subterranean wonders. 




QREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 109 



INDEX 

A 

Acute Ang:le 52 

Age of Earth 84 

A lyook Backward 29 

Animal Life 12 

Annette ' s Dome 44 

Azoic Group 86 

B 

Bacon Chamber.... 65 

Blind Fish 13 

Booth's Amphitheater 36 

Bottomless Pit 62 

Bridal Altar 41 

Bridge of Sighs 63 

C 

Call's Rotunda 78 

Cambrian System 88 

Carboniferous System 90 

Cascade Hall 72 

Cave-making 98 

Cave Routes „ 19 

Cenozoic Group „ 93 



no TVONDERS OF THE 



Cleveland's Cabinet 76 

Concert Hall 73 

Consumptives' Homes 54 

Corkscrew 80 

Cornet Echo 71 

Cretaceous System.. .,. 93 

Croghan's Hall 78 

D 

Dead Sea 66 

Descriptive - 26 

Descriptive 61 

Devonian System 90 

Dining Room 18 

Discovery 4 

Dismal Hollow 78 

Divisions of Time 85 

Dripping Springs 72 

Dry and Wet Regions 107 

E 

Echo River 68 

Elephants' Heads 39 

Emerson's Visit 57 

End of the Cave 79 

Entrance 11 

Extent of Cave 20 



aREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 111 



F 

Fat Man's Misery 64 

Fly Chamber 74 

Formations 21 

Forming- Channels 102 

G 

Geological _ 82 

Giant and Giantess 51 

Giant Ant-Eater 51 

Giant's Coffin 50 

Glacial Action 96 

Glacial Epoch 96 

Good Templars Monument 44 

Gothic Chapel 39 

Great Iron Gate - 29 

Great Walk 68 

Great Western 73 

Green River - 107 

Gunpowder 5 

H 

Hanging Rocks 74 

Historical 3 

Horizontal Strata 100 

Hornets' Nests 39 

Hotel 16 



112 TVONDERS OF THE 



Hutchins' Narrows 30 

I 

Igneous Rocks 83 

Infernal Regions 72 

Insoluble Rocks 102 

J 

Jenny Lind Armchair 40 

Joseph's Pit 43 

Jurassic System 92 

K 

Kaskaskia Sandstone 101 

Kentucky Cliffs 80 

L 

Lake Lethe 67 

Last Rose of Summer 77 

Leaching Vats 7 

Lee's Cistern 45 

Lone Sentinel 33 

Loops 11 

Lover's Leap 42 

M 

Maelstrom 70 

Management 16 

Martha's Vineyard 75 

Martha Washington Statue 48 



OREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 113 



Marvelous Echo 69 

Mesozoic Group 92 

Methodist Church 35 

Mississippian 91 

N 

Name Carving 38 

Napoleon ' s Dome 43 

Natural Beauty 27 

Natural Bridge... 66 

Necessary Conditions 99 

O 

Odd Fellows Hall 66 

Old Scratch Hall 72 

Olive's Bower 33 

Opening to Cave 27 

Ordovician System „ 89 

Ownership 15 

P 

Paleozoic Group 88 

Pennsylvanian 92 

Permian 92 

Pigeon Boxes 35 

Pillared Castle 39 

Pillar of Hercules 40 

Pits and Domes 10 



114 TirONDERS OF THE 



Pluto's Dome 72 

Pompey and Caesar 39 

Post Oak Pillar . _ 39 

Preservation 33 

Proctor's Arcade 60 

Producing Illusion 55 

Q 

Quaternary Period 95 

R 

Rafinesque Hall 3 1 

Recent Epoch 97 

Recreation 22 

Register Hall 37 

River Styx 57 

Rocky Mountains 77 

Rotunda 31 

S 

Safety 24 

Saltpeter Works 4 

Scotchman ' s Tr ap 64 

Sedimentary Rocks 84 

Sensational Sound 46 

Serena's Bower 79 

Serpent Hall 72 

Shaler ' s Brook 45 



GREAT MAMMOTH CAVE 115 



Sheep Shelter 74 

Shelby's Dome 63 

Silurian System 89 

Sink Holes 103 

Snowball Room 76 

Solvent Action of Water 101 

Stalactites 104 

Stalagmites 105 

Standing Rocks 47 

Star Chamber - 55 

State Monuments 37 

Stone Cottages ~ 53 

Symphony 28 

T 

Taylor's Visit 81 

Temperature ^ 

Tertiary Period 94 

Thickness of Strata 99 

Triassic System 92 

Tumble-Down 106 

V 

Valley of Flowers 73 

Vegetable Life 14 

Vespertillio Hall 32 

Victoria's Crown 75 



116 WONDERS OF THE 



Visitors 23 

Volcanic Action 95 

W 

Washington Hall 75 

Wellington's Galleries 71 

Wonderful Illusion 55 

Wooden Bowl Room 61 



DtC 23 Mi 



